Sarah Tilghman Hughes, a federal judge in TX appointed by JFK, was raised on Myrtle Avenue in west Baltimore City. She administered the oath of office to LBJ on AF1 on 11/22/63.
She graduated from Western High School(Baltimore City) in 1913.
Aug 3, 2025
There was chatter about German becoming the state language in MD, and Germans were a large immigrant population in Baltimore , particularly in the 1800s. WW1 put an end to that chatter.
I studied the German language for four years at Poly(1973-77) and recall Mr Griswold calling me an RC(Roman Catholic). He was a solid language instructor, who during one six week period taught us English grammar during German class time, because he thought we lacked the necessary grammar skills to learn a foreign language.
Ms Denzel was my freshman year teacher, and Mr Griswold, the Lutheran, was my teacher the next three years. High German , not Low German, was taught.
August 12, 2025
Gunter Hotel in Frostburg, Maryland contained a jail, a speakeasy, and for a while a cockfighting ring in the basement.
New owners have kept the jail intact.
Sept 1, 2025
One of the notable ferry operators was Thomas Cresap, a frontiersman from MD, who established the “Blew(Blue) Rock” ferry operation near his “Pleasant Garden” plantation.
He was nicknamed the Maryland Monster for the armed phase his skirmishes he directed until May 1738 when King George II's intervention led to a cease-fire and established the PA/MD border 15 miles south of Philadelphia. It was not officially defined until 1867 when British astronomer Charles Mason and surveyor Jeremiah Dixon completed their work on the Mason–Dixon line in 1767.
Zimmerman Center for Heritage stands on what was Pleasant Garden. Address: 1706 Long Level Rd, Wrightsville, PA 17368
Sept 7, 2025
Redwood Street in downtown Baltimore was originally German Street, and the City Council re-named it in 1918 to honor First Lieutenant George Buchanan Redwood, the first Baltimorean to die in WW1 action.
Oct 17, 2025
MD towns , Reliance (formerly Johnson's Crossroads) in Dorchester County,near Delaware, and Vienna on the Nanticoke River, were transfer points for smuggling operations with Virginia during the Civil War.
Oct 31,2025
DC was formed in 1790 from land ceded by Maryland and Virginia, that straddled the Potomac River.
In 1847, the portion of land south of the Potomac, which had been ceded by Virginia ,including areas known today as Arlington and Alexandria were returned to Virginia via retrocession. Only the land originally donated by Maryland counties, Montgomery and Prince George, makes up DC today.
Nov 29, 2025
Camp Ritchie, located in Cascade, MD, held German, Italian, and Africa Corps officer POWs, mainly captured during the 1942 Allied invasion of French North Africa.
Dec 26, 2025
Frank Key Howard, the grandson of Francis Scott Key, was arrested on 9/13/1861 and jailed for a year at Fort McHenry for his pro-Southern viewpoints as editor of the Baltimore Exchange. He criticized President Lincoln’s policies, particularly the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus and the declaration of martial law.
Jan 8, 2026
After many years I've decided to re-acquaint myself with High German. Those umlauts.
I was proficient in In German grammar, not pronunciation.
Now getting acquainted with the German Orthography Reform of 1996.
Feb 17, 2026
The B&O rail connections to Baltimore City created a medical hub during the Civil War. Casualties from the Battles of Antietam and Gettysburg were treated in churches, warehouses, and public parks.
March 7, 2026
Broadside with 16 signatures or marks of those joining the militia of Maryland on July 13, 1776, in the middle department, from this province to New-York inclusive, until the fifth day of December next(1777). It was certified and signed by William Henry, who stated he was appointed by the Committee of Observation for Kent County.
Old English intrigues me.
April 19, 2026
High German was the second most spoken language in the USA after English during the 19th and early 20th centuriy but waned during WW1.
This probably explains why Mr Griswold was ticked , at times , that there was only one German class per grade(9 through 12) at Poly(1973-77). See my Aug 3, 2025 entry.
PA had a bigger population of Germans then MD
Prior blog: Rappin Brown
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